Warsteiner Premium Dunkel | Warsteiner Brauerei
Brewed by:
Warsteiner Brauerei
Germany | website
Style: Munich Dunkel Lager
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.90%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 09-26-2001
Reviews: 613 | Ratings: 1,494
Reviews by TaylorK:
4.5/5 rDev +30.4%
TaylorK, Oct 14, 2012
More User Reviews:
3.83/5 rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance This one poured a beautiful dark brown in color with hints of orange around the edges and an even, lasting head.
Smell The soft, darkish malts were complimented with some good caramel and molasses.
Taste The unsulphored molasses was brilliant at the taste. The malts were light but formed a nice backbone.
Mouthfeel This was a tad bigger than light-bodied and flat with a terrific bittersweet finish.
Drinkability They've been doing it since 1753. This is a good, simple, uncomplicated offering from Warsteiner.
★ 549 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance This one poured a beautiful dark brown in color with hints of orange around the edges and an even, lasting head.
Smell The soft, darkish malts were complimented with some good caramel and molasses.
Taste The unsulphored molasses was brilliant at the taste. The malts were light but formed a nice backbone.
Mouthfeel This was a tad bigger than light-bodied and flat with a terrific bittersweet finish.
Drinkability They've been doing it since 1753. This is a good, simple, uncomplicated offering from Warsteiner.
★ 549 characters
3.14/5 rDev -9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.75
Warsteiner Premium Dunkel pours a dark brown color; kind of old and woody looking with the smallest possible red tint you could imaging. It exhibits good clarity and is topped off with a voluptuous beige can that grows huge and sticks generously to the inside of the glass. It leaves behind sheets of lacing at it slowly descends towards the top of the brew.
Huge Munich malt aroma; large boasts of heavily-toasted bread and a decent helping of slightly metallic-tinted caramel. Very doughy and bready with a little bit of cocoa powder hidden in the background, combining to form a slight cookie dough aroma. Fresh, crisp lager yeast crowds the end and smells great; very solid aroma overall, and it's much more powerful and robust than you might expect for a lighter beer.
Sadly, the taste is slightly less intriguing; it's kind of watered down a bit underwhelming considering that fact that my nostrils are still more than pleased. The water is very "mineral" tasting and rough with a thick and heavy yeast taste from start to finish. The yeast is pretty nice, but the chalky mineral essence, I could do without. Middle-to-end, it's pretty grainy with a much, much lighter caramel presence than the aroma would signify.
Toasted breads are still evident, but again, much more subdued and muted. Diacetyl is unfortunately more noticeable than I believe it should be, as I'm picking up quite a large buttery popcorn kernel flavor, especially in the aftertaste. Carbonation is pretty spot on, and I really have no complains about the thin-medium mouth feel. Crisp, somewhat dry finish with a nice snap.
Well, the aroma was awesome. And that's pretty much all I have to say about that. Quite a let down on the palate, with some strange off-flavors that hindered an already unimpressive flavor profile - minerals, chalk, heavy butter. Without those, this beer would have been okay. As is, it's floating right around "medicore". Not so bad I wouldn't drink it again, but I'd definitely never order one again on my own. Unless it was a candle.
★ 2,042 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.75
Warsteiner Premium Dunkel pours a dark brown color; kind of old and woody looking with the smallest possible red tint you could imaging. It exhibits good clarity and is topped off with a voluptuous beige can that grows huge and sticks generously to the inside of the glass. It leaves behind sheets of lacing at it slowly descends towards the top of the brew.
Huge Munich malt aroma; large boasts of heavily-toasted bread and a decent helping of slightly metallic-tinted caramel. Very doughy and bready with a little bit of cocoa powder hidden in the background, combining to form a slight cookie dough aroma. Fresh, crisp lager yeast crowds the end and smells great; very solid aroma overall, and it's much more powerful and robust than you might expect for a lighter beer.
Sadly, the taste is slightly less intriguing; it's kind of watered down a bit underwhelming considering that fact that my nostrils are still more than pleased. The water is very "mineral" tasting and rough with a thick and heavy yeast taste from start to finish. The yeast is pretty nice, but the chalky mineral essence, I could do without. Middle-to-end, it's pretty grainy with a much, much lighter caramel presence than the aroma would signify.
Toasted breads are still evident, but again, much more subdued and muted. Diacetyl is unfortunately more noticeable than I believe it should be, as I'm picking up quite a large buttery popcorn kernel flavor, especially in the aftertaste. Carbonation is pretty spot on, and I really have no complains about the thin-medium mouth feel. Crisp, somewhat dry finish with a nice snap.
Well, the aroma was awesome. And that's pretty much all I have to say about that. Quite a let down on the palate, with some strange off-flavors that hindered an already unimpressive flavor profile - minerals, chalk, heavy butter. Without those, this beer would have been okay. As is, it's floating right around "medicore". Not so bad I wouldn't drink it again, but I'd definitely never order one again on my own. Unless it was a candle.
★ 2,042 characters
2.86/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
3.25/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.4/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
On tap at Jacob Wirth's in Boston ...
Dark, rich chestnut-stain brown colour with a thin, sticky white head. Medicore retention. Aroma ranges from burnt raisin, veggies and a touch of diacetly. Smooth, light-bodied, dry with a crisp bite of carbonation and citric bitterness. Touch of apple. Hint of caramel. Dry finish with a mouthfull of grain and husk.
I know this beer to be better, but still ... I enjoyed it.
★ 420 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
On tap at Jacob Wirth's in Boston ...
Dark, rich chestnut-stain brown colour with a thin, sticky white head. Medicore retention. Aroma ranges from burnt raisin, veggies and a touch of diacetly. Smooth, light-bodied, dry with a crisp bite of carbonation and citric bitterness. Touch of apple. Hint of caramel. Dry finish with a mouthfull of grain and husk.
I know this beer to be better, but still ... I enjoyed it.
★ 420 characters
3.28/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This is a premium German dark beer. Smell is of chocolate with alcohol. It pours medium dark with a big head. Impressive lacing. The taste is quite pronounced with a very strong roasted malt taste, almost chocolate in character. Impressive. Hoppiness is there, but hard to detect over the malt. Sweet, heavy finish. I liked this. This almost approaches the Porter category, like a watered down Guiness. I will buy this again for a strong, full bodied German dark lager. Forget Beck's or St. Pauly dark. This is a distinct and bold beer. I get this for $9.99 for 12 bottles.
★ 573 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This is a premium German dark beer. Smell is of chocolate with alcohol. It pours medium dark with a big head. Impressive lacing. The taste is quite pronounced with a very strong roasted malt taste, almost chocolate in character. Impressive. Hoppiness is there, but hard to detect over the malt. Sweet, heavy finish. I liked this. This almost approaches the Porter category, like a watered down Guiness. I will buy this again for a strong, full bodied German dark lager. Forget Beck's or St. Pauly dark. This is a distinct and bold beer. I get this for $9.99 for 12 bottles.
★ 573 characters
3.6/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle, with best before dating of July '06. Pours clear, dark rum colored with a tan hea dthat leaves respectable lacing. Nose is lightly of malt and some honey. Quite dirnkable lager, minor notes of honey and vanilla with clean and smooth malty underpinnings. Middle of the road dark lager, decent if unspectacular sessioner.
★ 336 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle, with best before dating of July '06. Pours clear, dark rum colored with a tan hea dthat leaves respectable lacing. Nose is lightly of malt and some honey. Quite dirnkable lager, minor notes of honey and vanilla with clean and smooth malty underpinnings. Middle of the road dark lager, decent if unspectacular sessioner.
★ 336 characters
3.08/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured an 11.2 oz bottle into a pint glass. Looked like coke, very deep caramel color with a head that didn't stick around long. Smelled a bit metallic for the first half of the glass, but overall I don't think it made a huge impact on the taste of the beer. The taste wasn't all that impressive, wasn't bad though. Aftertaste was a light caramel flavor with a bit of chocolate. The mouth feel and taste were alright to begin with but by the end it was almost like I was drinking malt liquor. Not to say that I would bash malt liquor, I mean I grew up on it in high school, but if I buy a German dunkel and that's what I'm expecting, I don't want to suddenly be drinking Colt .45. Overall I don't have a lot to complain about with this guy, but I might not buy it again.
★ 770 characters
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured an 11.2 oz bottle into a pint glass. Looked like coke, very deep caramel color with a head that didn't stick around long. Smelled a bit metallic for the first half of the glass, but overall I don't think it made a huge impact on the taste of the beer. The taste wasn't all that impressive, wasn't bad though. Aftertaste was a light caramel flavor with a bit of chocolate. The mouth feel and taste were alright to begin with but by the end it was almost like I was drinking malt liquor. Not to say that I would bash malt liquor, I mean I grew up on it in high school, but if I buy a German dunkel and that's what I'm expecting, I don't want to suddenly be drinking Colt .45. Overall I don't have a lot to complain about with this guy, but I might not buy it again.
★ 770 characters
3.73/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5
A: Deep brown with red hugh. Light tan head the stuck around for about half the ride. No lacing to speak off
S: Nothing real complex. smells very yeasty with a nice bread character from the munich. Not very rich, and no other chocolate, caramel, or nuttiness like the style guidelines suggest may be present. It smells good, its just kinda plain
T: There is both a maltiness and a malty sweetness present. The sweetness hits first and then it is backed up by the melanoidans and bready (borderline toasty) notes from the munich. I get a subtle honey/graham cracker sweetness. no hop flavor, you catch some bitterness at the end. there may be a touch of roast in here which seems innapropriate
M: Mouthfeel is spot on for this style. medium-full body with a dextrinous smooth feel to it. Finishes with a lingering sweetness, but not cloying
D: This is a real easy drinking pint, its not as complex as I'd like it to be; rather one-dimensional. I do enjoy it though, and I would probably order another!
★ 1,004 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5
A: Deep brown with red hugh. Light tan head the stuck around for about half the ride. No lacing to speak off
S: Nothing real complex. smells very yeasty with a nice bread character from the munich. Not very rich, and no other chocolate, caramel, or nuttiness like the style guidelines suggest may be present. It smells good, its just kinda plain
T: There is both a maltiness and a malty sweetness present. The sweetness hits first and then it is backed up by the melanoidans and bready (borderline toasty) notes from the munich. I get a subtle honey/graham cracker sweetness. no hop flavor, you catch some bitterness at the end. there may be a touch of roast in here which seems innapropriate
M: Mouthfeel is spot on for this style. medium-full body with a dextrinous smooth feel to it. Finishes with a lingering sweetness, but not cloying
D: This is a real easy drinking pint, its not as complex as I'd like it to be; rather one-dimensional. I do enjoy it though, and I would probably order another!
★ 1,004 characters
3.19/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Poured into a lager glass. Chestnut brown with a hint of ruby. About two fingers of head, terrific retention. After several sips, there's still a good head to it. Looks great!
The smell is not so hot. Barely detectable; light malts and tinnyness, maybe a bit of walnut. I guess this brew doesn't translate well in can form.
I didn't like the taste at first, but this brew grew on me. Roasted malts, nuts, caramel and a citrus bitterness to the finish - almost sour. Finishes dry.
Moderate body, slightly creamy.
Not bad; at less than 2 bucks a pop it's certainly a good choice for a session. Not my favorite dunkel lager, but something to keep on hand.
★ 658 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Poured into a lager glass. Chestnut brown with a hint of ruby. About two fingers of head, terrific retention. After several sips, there's still a good head to it. Looks great!
The smell is not so hot. Barely detectable; light malts and tinnyness, maybe a bit of walnut. I guess this brew doesn't translate well in can form.
I didn't like the taste at first, but this brew grew on me. Roasted malts, nuts, caramel and a citrus bitterness to the finish - almost sour. Finishes dry.
Moderate body, slightly creamy.
Not bad; at less than 2 bucks a pop it's certainly a good choice for a session. Not my favorite dunkel lager, but something to keep on hand.
★ 658 characters
Warsteiner Premium Dunkel from Warsteiner Brauerei
3.45
out of 5
based on 1,494 ratings.